Where to From Here?

It’s easy to feel a sense of urgency when it comes to living with diabetes. It’s only our long term health that’s on the line, after all.

When I started using a pump, it felt like somewhat of a lifeline for my lousily-managed diabetes at the time. I felt this enormous sense of urgency to finally get it right.

I’ve since felt that sense of urgency even moreso, thanks to being surrounded by so many other peers who are managing their diabetes in so many different ways. One such example is the hype around Continuous Glucose Monitoring technology, and all of the possibilities that it can lead to in managing diabetes.

But that urgency has also been met with hesitation. I don’t like to think of myself as indecisive, but I definitely like to make a very well thought out and rational decision. The costs, both material and otherwise, of getting diabetes technology set up. Whether the effort required to set up and learn something new will be worth the reward.

I’ve definitely found myself mentally saying the words ‘I really can’t be bothered’ when it comes to the prospect of trying new tools or technologies this year. Namely, my short lived road trip with Fiasp insulin. Also in part due to a busy year of study and actually being happy with the kit I’m using.

One thing that nobody told me when it comes to diabetes technology, or any new regime in diabetes management, is that I have time. There’s definitely no hurry to jump into something new. There’s no hurry to get to that point of where I want to be with a new treatment or piece of technology. The worst thing that can happen is that I’ll go back to what I was using before.

When I bit the bullet back in September and arranged the gear that I needed to get set up with a Dexcom CGM, I had no other expectations of myself other than to give it a go. To see if it would be feasible for me to use, and whether it would add value to my quality of life. There were no timeframes, no goals, and no where-to-from-here plans set in concrete.

This kind of dawned on me yesterday afternoon, as I realised just how much I had learned about the system after almost three months of…learning to use it. I couldn’t have done this if I hadn’t been patient with my expectations and allowed myself the time to do so. Maybe more on that another day.

I really don’t know what my where-to-from-here is, or if there even is one. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there is no rush in getting there.

3 Comments

  1. Rick Phillips

    Oh I love new tech. I love it so much, I nearly trip over myself getting to the latest and greatest. Yes i knwo someday I will will not be able too do this. That day is coming much sooner than later so while I still can, I am on it.

    As for a CGM, I would give up my pump long before my CGM. It is the game changing technology of the last 10 years.

  2. Pat Keating

    Hi Frank, I always love reading your blogs. I would love to be able to afford the CGM, too expensive for me and alot of other people. Diabetes is an expensive disease. I had to join a Private health fund in order to get this Medtronic Pump. God help me when I retire, won’t be able to pay for any of this. Have a nice Christmas if we don’t hear from you before Xmas. πŸ₯³πŸŽ‚πŸΈπŸ·πŸ»

  3. […] It’s easy to feel a sense of urgency when it comes to living with diabetes. It’s only our long term health that’s on the line, after all. When I started using a pump, it felt like somewhat of a lifeline for my lousily-managed diabetes at the time. I felt this enormous sense of urgency to … [Read more…] […]

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